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Table of Contents
Yearbook pre-order SALE!!!
Happy end of Week 3!!
So many parents and teachers go above and beyond every single day at Lee. If you want to spotlight anyone (class, student, staff, teacher, caregiver, etc) please fill out the Remarkable Roadrunner Nomination form.
Lee club meetings will start next week!!
It feels like this has been a LOOOOOOONG time coming. THANK YOU Simone Harlow, PTA VP of Enrichment for managing this massive project. This year (please forgive me if I'm mistaken) we have 11 Lee clubs with approximately 200 enrollments and 15 vendor clubs. Simone worked with each club / organization to find the best options for our campus and then worked with the administration and teachers to secure classrooms to host each club. There are countless hours that go into making this a reality so that our Roadrunners can enjoy these great after school opportunities!
Minor Konstella update
we have a NEW - very efficient process to verify Lee Konstella Requests! New requests are being reviewed same day in most cases.
FIND INSTRUCTIONS HERE to turnon notifications
If you have any other questions, please let me know! communications@russellleepota.org
9/11 - Patrol Stories: NEW PTA sponsored assembly
ABOUT PATROL STORIES
Patrol Stories is the most requested live program in the country. Using a concert style performance, Patrol Stories incorporates the use of animation, music, audio and visual production and live character performances to create the most epic and exciting student learning experience. Over 70,000 students participate in the program each school year.
Students will participate in one of two groups.
September 11th
3rd - 6th @ 1:30-2pm
K - 2nd @ 2:15-2:45pm
IMPORTANT CHANGE THIS YEAR: For those of you that enjoyed attending assemblies last year, parents can’t join for this one, but will likely be able to join for the next assembly once it’s on the calendar. Someone will try to snap a few photos and share them in the Rundown.
Did you know?
PTA sponsors approximately 4 assemblies per year to provide dynamic and entertaining educational enrichment opportunities to all Lee students. Thank you to PTA Vice President, Jillian DeLaTorre Copeland for managing every aspect of assemblies from first contact and negotiating price to day of logistics. Donate to Roadrunner Rally today to ensure we can continue to offer programs like this!
Roadie Work Day
September 14 | 9-12
Looking for a 1-day volunteer commitment? Roadie Workday is coming up on September 14th from 9-12.
So far teachers have requested that we assemble a few cabinets and shelves, install some hooks and cork boards as well as various other campus cleanup projects.
Our Roadie Chair, John Hewlett will walk the school grounds to see what looks to be in disrepair that we can handle
FYI kids and helpers of all skill levels are welcome to participate!
Walk-ins welcome but signing up helps us commit to teacher requested projects!!
Meet us at Chuy's on 9/25!
MARK YOUR CALENDAR! On Sept 25, we have our first Spirit Night coming up at Chuy's in Mueller...everyone come meet up!! For every dine-in / take-out order that mentions Lee Elementary - a portion of the check is donated back to the school. Plus it'll be a fun friend hangout!
Also, don't forget we're in the middle of Roadrunner Rally! This is your opportunity to donate back to the school so we can continue to improve all the amazing things this school offers our kids and the community.
Suggested donation is $150 per child, but any and all donations are appreciated!
Please donate today: roadrunnerrally.hellofund.io
Calling all photogs!!!
Want a front row seat to your child’s grade level school performance?! This is your chance to snag that coveted seat and help our yearbook team capture special moments for Lee’s 24-25’ yearbook!
We are in need of one volunteer with photography expertise in the following grades:
Kinder
1st
2nd
6th
Please contact Selena Melancon at historian@russellleepta.org if interested.
10% off Yearbooks
24-25’ Yearbooks are on sale now through October 31st! Receive 10% off when you order your child’s yearbook early. This discount also applies to last years’ 23-24’ yearbooks if you missed out on ordering. Custom pages are not due at time of order. You can go back and complete that step later. Each book order includes 2 customized pages for your individual yearbook.
If you have any questions please reach out to Selena at historian@russellleepta.org
Remarkable Roadrunner
This seems like the right time for this week's Remarkable Roadrunner spotlight featuring the PTA Historian, Selena Melancon. She is an honest to goodness real artist who has shared her amazing talents with Lee in many ways over the years. She's the driving force behind the Lee Live decorating team that has created the stunning aesthetic the last few years and on a shoe string budget. She's like MacGyver... We give her command hooks, a stick of gum, flowers and a general idea and she blows past every expectation and turns out something spectacular. She has also contributed to the Lee Live grade level art, various beautification projects at Lee, and most recently she's responsible for the Lee Yearbook! Y'all that yearbook was serious work and she's about to get started again so let's all thank her and remember to pre-order our yearbooks.
Sincere thank you to Suzanne Becker for nominating Selena. I 100% agree.
Want to nominate someone in our community to showcase their good work in the classroom or out of it? Fill out the Remarkable Roadrunner Nomination form.
Lee Merch - Limited Edition (still available!)
Limited edition t-shirts are available on pre-order now! Grab yours while you can! There are three designs:
Yellow classic, grey classic, & navy blue & red '23-'24 school shirt design
We need to hit our pre-order targets so for now we are still selling... please grab your Lee Merch today
Kids Shirts $15
Adult Shirts $20
FALL CARNIVAL NEEDS YOU
We're looking for core volunteers to help lead up making Carnival happen. Join the team and spread the word to your community!
Have a teenager that needs volunteer hours? Do you love decorating haunted houses, selling t-shirts, handing out cotton candy, etc... we have a job for you! No volunteer job is too small!
questions : fundraising@russellleepta.org
OTHER WAYS TO HELP: email Wyeth at fundraising@russellleepta.org to join our local business outreach team for donations, sponsorship, and support
Lost & Found Updates
Fami-Lee - gentle reminder to label your Roadrunner's items! Although it is still warm outside there are already jackets and sweatshirts on the Lost and Found racks! Please also remind your roadrunner to stop by the L&F shelves in the 2nd grade hallway to claim their lost items.
Lee Calendar
I made minor edits to the September Calendar:
9/11 @ (kids only) - Patrol Stories in school assembly ***NEW
9/14 @ 9-12PM - ROADIE WORK DAY
9/17 @ 3:30-4:30 PM - CAC meeting - Lee Library
9/20 @ 8-9AM - PTA Meeting @Lee Cafeteria ***NEW location
Arrive early for coffee & mingling
9/23-9/27 @ TEACHING ASSISTANT APPRECIATION WEEK
9/25 @ Chuy's Mueller - Lee Spirit Night! ***NEW
details to come
9/26 during morning arrival - Roadrunner Rally Coffee Chat
9/27 @ 5-7PM - Loteria Night @Lee Cafeteria
9/28 - Parking Lot Fundraiser eLee Parking lots
9/30-10/4 - CUSTODIAN APPRECIATION WEEK
Back to School Night!
Did you make it to Back to School Night? For anyone who was not able to attend, teachers will be sending their slides out via Konstella.
I spent the first half of Back to School Night with the Special Areas teachers in the Auditorium. Ms. Wilborn reminded me that she'd love Parent feedback on a survey:
Click here. Read the rest of her Art Newsletter here: Art Newsletter
I also chatted with Coach Wyss about the change in the PE schedule. For those of you that remember Cosmic Week being in the Spring last year, be advised - it is going to be in October this year!
Thank you to all the teachers that spend the evening helping us parents feel included in the learning process this year. Reminder to all the parents that their wishlists are up on the Lee Staff page and I should be adding their About Me forms very soon.
Thank you to the Appreciation team for putting together an amazing grazing spread for teachers to snack on between the end of the school day and the start of the Back to School Night event. This set up was courtesy of Stephanie Lermer, School Wide Appreciation Chair and Jessie Doloresco! Great work team Appreciation!!
--- REPOSTING THIS FROM LAST WEEK BECAUSE IT IS SO IMPORTANT (sign up forms are in final stage and will go out after Mr. Peckham verifies one bit of logistics) ----
Traffic Help!
by Aaron Peckham, School Counselor by day (traffic hero by morning)
Fami-Lee before we get to Mr. Peckham's ask, can I just say that this is an honest to goodness urgent need. Mr. Peckham NEEDS a partner(s) to share the load with!
THE ASK
We need 1-2 people from 7:15-7:40 M-F to collaboratively direct traffic and cross students/parents in the morning. Can you volunteer any number of days throughout the year to either stand with Aaron and direct traffic or to partner with another volunteer to do this? Any adult able to wear a brightly colored vest and hold up a STOP sign will be a vast improvement over the current situation which is dangerous and unsustainable. The goal is to always have two people working the traffic so you will NOT be alone.
THE REASON
Drop off at Russell Lee requires hundreds of children to be dropped off in a 25 minute time period, and there is only one four way intersection (Harris/Hampton) by which parents can access drop off zones for the school. Without a traffic director in that intersection, cars and pedestrians must coordinate safe crossing, which directions to turn, and negotiate with neighbors that are not dropping off.
A few years ago, former principal John Hewlett began to direct traffic during drop off- this improved parents’ ability to access dropoff zones in a safe and timely manner. However, after John Hewlett left the school there became a need for another person to step in and perform the same function. Aaron Peckham, our school counselor, has been filling this volunteer role for the last two years. For the second half of last year, Mr. Hewlett was able to come back and volunteer his time in the morning to assist with directing traffic in the morning in addition to Mr. Peckham. This collaboration resulted in the quickest, safest, and most efficient dropoff pattern that the school has had in years.
When Mr. Peckham is the only person directing traffic in a four way intersection, it is overwhelming and unsafe for Mr. Peckham, people crossing the road, and drivers dropping off children.
When there are two people actively directing traffic, there are enough eyes to monitor all four crosswalks and all four roads simultaneously. By placing the “left turn only” sign in the center of the intersection and positioning one person on each side of the sign, it is significantly safer and easier to monitor both car and foot traffic effectively.
You might be wondering why the crossing guard can't help... they aren't trained for this. We need 2 people dedicated each morning to directing traffic.
Traffic flow chart:
We are working on sharing this call for help and traffic flow with local neighborhood community newsletters/boards so if you have a connection please let us know.
OTHER WAYS TO HELP:
Call 311 or use their online form to ask for a 4-way traffic stop at the intersection of Hampton & Harris. (I did this today and it was very easy but the more people that call the more seriously they will take our need!)
Thanks for reading this week's Roadrunner Rundown. As always feel free to share your comments or feature suggestions with Clarissa at communications@russellleepta.org or online here.
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